Handling dates in SQL can be challenging due to the variety of SQL dialects and their differing syntax, as well as the complexity of date manipulation functions. The document explores how to effectively work with dates across five popular SQL dialects, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, BigQuery, Redshift, and Presto, focusing on essential functions such as formatting, time differences, intervals, time zones, and obtaining current times. It highlights the importance of understanding function prototypes like FROM_UNIXTIME(), DATE_FORMAT(), DATE_TRUNC(), DATE_PART(), and DATE_DIFF(), providing examples of how these functions are implemented in different SQL dialects. Additionally, the text addresses the complexities of dealing with time zones and date rounding and suggests best practices, including keeping dates in UTC for consistency. The article emphasizes the utility of SQL's date handling functions while acknowledging that scripting languages like JavaScript can sometimes offer easier solutions for date parsing and manipulation.